Looking like balls of fluffy cotton, this group of swallows huddle together during a winter blizzard. By fluffing both their downy and semiplume feathers, they are able to trap pockets of air close to their body. How much body heat they keep can adjusted by arranging their feathers to trap more or less air. At
Unlike most birds, loons have solid bones that make them less buoyant and better at diving. They can quickly blow air out of their lungs and flatten their feathers to expel air within their plumage, so they can dive quickly and swim fast underwater. Once below the surface, the loon’s heart slows down to conserve
This flashy Blue Winged Warbler shows off its primary flight feathers and coverts after being caught at the songbird mist-netting station on Stratton Island. Foraging mostly in upper half of trees and shrubs while hanging upside down, this golden bird can be found probing dead leaf clusters in winter. Photo Courtesy of Stella Walsh
Some beautiful detail caught by the osprey camera this past season. The feathers of of this magnificent raptor glow in the morning sunrise.
